Contributors

Doctors from UMC Utrecht (Netherlands) published a case report of a patient with locked-in syndrome from ALS who is able to communicate with her family with the help of a brain implant. The implant serves as a conduit between her mind and a computer. Surgeons placed electrodes in her brain and these electrodes pick up brain activity from the patient’s thoughts. These electrodes then transmit signal wirelessly to a computer which translates the patient’s thoughts into words allowing her to communicate. The group suggests that this device will not only be helpful for patients with ALS but also TBI and CVA patietns suffering from paralysis. The group also hopes to expand this into a larger international study if these initial case reports show promise.